Recent progress and the emerging role of lncRNAs in cancer drug resistance; focusing on signaling pathways

Pathol Res Pract. 2024 Jan:253:154999. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154999. Epub 2023 Nov 29.

Abstract

It is becoming more and more apparent that many of the genetic alterations associated with cancer are located in areas that do not encode proteins. lncRNAs are a class of RNAs that do not code for proteins but play a crucial role in maintaining cell function and regulating various cellular processes. By doing this, they have recently introduced what may be a brand-new and essential layer of biological control. These have more than 200 nucleotides and are linked to several diseases; as a result, they have become potential tools for therapeutic intervention. Emerging technologies suggest the presence of mutations on genomic loci that give rise to lncRNAs rather than proteins in a disease as complex as cancer. These lncRNAs play essential parts in gene regulation, which impacts several cellular homeostasis processes, including proliferation, survival, migration, and genomic stability. The leading cause of death in the world today is cancer. Delays in diagnosis and a lack of standard and efficient treatments are the leading causes of the high death rate. Clinically, surgery is frequently used successfully to remove cancers that have not spread, but it is less successful in treating metastatic cancer, which has a drastically lower chance of survival. Chemotherapeutic drugs are a typical therapy to treat the cancer that has spread to other organs. Drug resistance to chemotherapy, however, presents a significant challenge to achieving positive outcomes and is frequently the cause of treatment failure. A substantial barrier to progress in medical oncology is cancer drug resistance. Resistance can develop clinically either before or after cancer treatment. According to this study, lncRNAs influence drug resistance through several different methods. LncRNAs often impact drug resistance by controlling the expression of a few intermediary regulatory variables rather than by directly affecting drug resistance. Additionally, lncRNAs have a variety of roles in cancer medication resistance. Most lncRNAs induce drug resistance when overexpressed; however, other lncRNAs have inhibitory effects. This study provides an overview of the current understanding of lncRNAs, relevance to cancer, and potential therapeutic applications.

Keywords: Cancer; Chemoresistance; Drug resistance; LncRNAs; Signaling pathways.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Long Noncoding